This invention relates to furniture which is used to hold computers and related equipment. More particularly, this invention relates to portable computer workstations primarily designed for an office environment.
As the use of computers continues to become more necessary, related equipment which allows for the more efficient use of computers becomes more important. Computer workstations allow multiple pieces of equipment to be in close proximity for easier use. A variety of computer workstations are currently available. While they are in varying sizes and configurations they all have many similarities. The most striking of these is that the computer monitor is invariably above the keyboard, sometimes significantly higher, as exemplified in the patents to Papich, U.S. Pat No. D284,337, and to Ugalde, U.S. Pat. No. D287,319. This configuration requires that the user must significantly change his line of sight, back and forth, in order to watch both the keyboard and the monitor. Further, in order to watch the printer, the user must often shift his chair or leave the computer entirely.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,19 (to Zigman) discloses a computer workstation with a horizontally adjustable keyboard supporting shelf. A monitor supporting shelf is coupled to the keyboard shelf so that it moves to a horizontal position when the keyboard is being pulled out, and an inclined position when the keyboard is pushed inward. The user cannot set an optimal viewing angle of the monitor and keyboard and an optimal reaching distance to the keyboard as the keyboard and monitor supporting shelves are linked together.